North Carolina
Aim for the middle of the day — 1-2ft on SE swell at 9s with 10mph from the SSW.
Aim for the middle of the day — 1-2ft on SE swell at 9s with 10mph from the SSW.
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Topsail Island for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Topsail Island, North Carolina. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on SE swell at 9s with 10mph S winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on SE swell at 7s and 11mph WSW winds. The SSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 21mph and very poor by then.
Sat, Sep 5: 3–4ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Aim for the middle of the day — 1-2ft on SSW swell at 5s with 13mph W winds. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down. Afternoon wind picks back up so try to get wet before 2pm.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on S swell at 5s with 9mph NE winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 17mph from the ENE and dropping conditions to very poor.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 6s period, rated Very Poor. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on ENE swell at 5s with strong NE wind at 15mph. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Very Poor today — get one free email when Topsail Island turns Good.
Check Topsail Island from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Topsail Island is a 26-mile barrier island with laid-back, uncrowded beach breaks that fire on SE swells. The long stretch of shifting sandbars means you can always find a peak breaking somewhere along the island. Intermediate to advanced when waves are up, though North Topsail Beach offers beginner-friendly conditions on smaller days. The island has a WWII missile testing history and a sea turtle hospital.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Topsail Island is 1-2ft with a 8.7s swell period. Wind is SSW at 9mph. Conditions are rated Very Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Topsail Island is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.7ft SE primary swell at 9s, a 0.8ft S wind swell swell at 2s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Topsail Island is Tuesday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 3ft waves, a 6.3s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Topsail Island works best with a SE swell and NW winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Topsail Island. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Topsail Island is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Topsail Island is a 26-mile barrier island with laid-back, uncrowded beach breaks that fire on SE swells. The long stretch of shifting sandbars means you can always find a peak breaking somewhere along the island. Intermediate to advanced when waves are up, though North Topsail Beach offers beginner-friendly conditions on smaller days. The island has a WWII missile testing history and a sea turtle hospital.
The prime season at Topsail Island is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Topsail Island include strong currents, occasional rip currents, tourist crowds in summer. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Topsail Island forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
